Bubble emitting toy



Sept. 1o, 1957 J. T. GANS Em 2,805,515

BUBBLE EMITTING TO;7

Filed Jan. l0, 1956 MNH. 'M

nited States Patent BUBBLE EMITTING TOY Jerome T. Gans and Benjamin F. Pulitzer, New York, N. Y.

Application January 10, 1956, Serial No. 558,285

Claims. (Cl. 467) the bicycle is in motion.

This invention has as an object the provision of a device of the character set forth which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and yet effective and efficient in use, and which may be readily mounted upon the handlebar of a bicycle.

This invention has as another object the provision of a device of the character described in which a series of bubbles may be emitted without independent movement of the device as a whole, or without the operatorA of the device blowing therethrough.

This invention has as yet another object the provision of a device of the character described in which the user of the device may operate it through digital pressure exerted by one finger, and which may be operated without interfering with the handling of the bicycle upon which the device is mounted.

Other objects of the present invention will appear hereinafter.

The device of the present invention comprises an elongated tube, preferably a slotted tube which may be mounted upon the handlebar of a bicycle. A reservoir for bubble-producing liquid is provided at one end of the tube, preferably the rear end thereof, when the tube is operatively mounted upon the bicycle handlebar. The device includes a trigger-actuated loop, which is normally urged to a retreated position within the reservoir, but which responds to the action of a trigger positioned outside of the tube to assume an upright position within the bore of the tube. In its upright position the ring is engaged with air passing through the tube including air introduced through both the front end of the tube and the slots in the tubes wall. The aforesaid air discharges bubbles from the bubble-producing liquid on the ring through the opening at the rear of the tube.

For the purpose of illustrating the inventon there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

Figure 1 is an elevational view partly broken away, of the device of the present invention mounted upon the handlebar of a bicycle.

Figure 2 is a plan view, partly broken away, of the device of the present invention mounted upon the handlebar of a bicycle.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2 revealing the operation of the trigger.

Referring to the drawings, which are illustrative of one embodiment of the present invention which is presently preferred, the reference character designates the bubble emitting toy of the present invention which may be mounted, as shown particularly in Figure 1, upon a bicycles handlebar 12. Preferably, the toy 10 is mounted on the right horn of the handlebar 12 proximate the hand ICC grip member 14, which is operatively engaged by the right hand of the user, so that the toy 10 may be operated without requiring the removal of the users right hand from handlebar 12.

The toy 10 may be made of plastic, sheet metal, wood or the like, and comprises an elongated tube 16, preferably of streamlined torpedo-like design. The tube 16 is provided with a plurality of axially-extending slots 18 spaced around its periphery. Slots 18 extend from a point proximate the front opening 20 of tube 16 to a point about one-third the length of tube 16 from its rear opening 22. The outer surface of the rear portion 26 of tube 16 is provided with a plurality of radiallyextending vanes which serve a decorative purpose, and, as will be more fully explained hereinbelow, provide decorative symmetry for the toys trigger.

The rear portion 26 of tube 16 includes a dependent reservoir or trough 28, whose licor 30 projects forwardly. Floor 35) is provided with an opening 32 spaced from reservoir 28.

A loop or ring 34 formed as a dipper from a rod of plastic or the like may be positioned within reservoir 2S, and is normally disposed in the retreated position within reservoir 28, as shown in solid line in Figure 3. Loop 34 is carried on shaft 36, which is journaled within tube 38 which extends crosswise on the bottom of rear portion 26.

Shaft 36 is rotated by trigger 40. Trigger 4i) cornprises a housing having a roof-like flange member 41, which in its normal position assumes the appearance of an extension of ange 24. Trigger 40 includes two openbottomed parallel channels 42 and 43, the frontmost channel 5.3 having a tapered slot 44 in its forwardmost wall. A cam 45 is provided on the end of shaft 36 Within channel 43 with an arm thereof protruding through slot 44. A helical spring 46 is positioned within channel 43 intermediate tube 38 and ange member 41. It will be seen from Figure 3 that downward urging of trigger sii will effect the pivotation of cam 45, as downward movement of slot 44 will force the arm of cam 155 downwardly with the resultant movement of loop 34 from its retreated position shown in solid line in Figure 3 to its exposed position shown in broken line in Figure 3, wherein it is retained substantially vertically within the bore of tube 16. The release of diUital pressure from trigger 4@ returns loop 34 to its retreated position within reservoir 28 as spring 46 upwardly urges trigger 48 to its normal position shown in solid line in Figure 3.

Toy 1t? is retained in position upon handlebar l2 by means of clamp element 47 which embraces handlebar 12. The locking of toy i0 upon clamp element 47 is achieved by means of a threaded machine screw 48, which extends through mating openings in clamp element 47 and through opening 32 in floor 30. Wing nut 5@ may be used to lock machine screw 48 in its clamped disposition.

The operation of toy 10 is' as follows:

The user presses down upon trigger 4t?, preferably with the thumb of his right hand (assuming that toy it) is mounted on the right horn of the handlebar 12). The downward urging of trigger 40 removes loop or ring 34 from its retreated position within reservoir 28 which is lled with bubble-forming solution to its exposed position at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the bore of tube 16. As the user is moving forward with his bicycle, there will be a stream of air going through tube 16, both through front opening 20 and through slots 18 thereof, which stream of air will remove bubbles from loop or ring 34, which bubbles are discharged through the rear opening 22 in tube 16 in a continuous stream until the bubble-forming solution on loop 34 is exhausted.

The release of trigger it? returns loop or ring 34 to its retreated positon where it is again immersed in bubbleforming solution, so that it may be shortly thereafter again used for the formation of bubbles.

In this manner the' user can discharge a substantially constant stream of bubbles from toy 19 while forwardlyv propelling his bicycle.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

We claim:

l. In a toy for emitting bubbles, the combination of an elongated tube open at both ends, said tube carrying depending means for mounting the toy upon the handlebar of a bicycle, said depending means being carried upon the underside of the tube, a reservoir for bubbleforming liquid dependently carried by the wall of said tube, said reservoir being in communication with the interior of said tube and proximate one open end thereof, a dipper having a hlm-receiving loop at its outer end pivotally mounted in respect to said reservoir and pivotable between a position wherein said loop is disposed within said reservoir and a position wherein said loop is disposed within said tube and juxtaposed to the open end thereof proximate said reservoir, and means extending outside of said tube at a lateral side of said tube and connected to said dipper for pivoting said dipper between the aforesaid positions.

2. A toy for emitting bubbles in accordance with claim l in which the elongated tube open at both ends is provided with a plurality of slots proximate the end of the tube remote from the reservoir.

, 3. A toy for emitting bubbles in accordance with claim 1 in which the dipper is spring-urged to its position wherein the loop is disposed within the reservoir by means of a reciprocally movable trigger positioned on the side of the tube adjacent the reservoir, said trigger being connested to the loop by an elongated member which extends through the wall of the tube and which is operatively engaged with the trigger, said trigger including a spring, said spring urging said trigger to a disposition in which V2,805,515 f' i f" e' e Y' e e' the engagement ofV the trigger Ywith the member is such that the loop is urged to its position Within the reservoir.

4. A -toy for emitting bubbles in accordance with claim l Vin which the depending means for mounting the toy upon the handlebar of a bicycle comprises an elongated projection secured to the door of the reservoir.

5. In a toy for emitting bubbles the combination of an elongated tube open at bothv ends, said tube carrying depending means for mounting the toy upon the handlebar of a bicycle, said depending means being carried upon the underside of the tube, a reservoir for bubbleforming liquid carried by the wall of said tube, said reservoir being in communication with Vthe interior of said tube and proximate one open end thereof, a plurality of slots in the wall of said tube proximate the other open end thereof, a dipper having a film-receiving loop at its outer end pivotally carried by said tube and pivotable between a position wherein said loop is disposed within said reservoir and a position whereinns'aid loop is disposed Within said tube and juxtaposed to the open end thereof proximate said reservoir, trigger means connected to said dipper through the Wall of said tube at a lateral side of said tube for pivoting said dipper between the aforesaid positions, said trigger means comprising a movable element mounted on the side of said tube, a cam connected to said dipper and engaged with said element, and spring means urging said element to a position in which it urges said dipper to its position Within said reservoir, said trigger means being constructed and arranged whereby digital pressure on said movable element may be used to overcome the action of said spring and urge said loop by engagement of the element with the cam from its aforesaid position within said reservoir to its aforesaid position within said tube.

References Cited in the rile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,587,537 Scott Feb. 26, 1952 2,631,404 Clausen Mar. 17, 1953 2,659,177 Kopf Nov. 17, 1953 2,700,845 Arliss Feb. 1, 1955 

